Love Actually Is
by FatesMistake
Summary: HP/SS slash. I present nine stories based on the romantic (and unromantic) pairings in the film Love Actually. They are all Snarry, and most are horribly cliche and sweet. Merry Christmas, everyone! Special Christmas present for Kelinna!
1. Unexpected

**A/N:** **I have titled each story with the character pairing they are mimicking. If you don't know or aren't sure which story is which, the IMDB synopsis for the film, provided by several helpful users, was my basis for portions, since I didn't really want to watch the movie a dozen times for the purposes of the story. It's a great movie, but I'm not that dedicated.**

Billy Mack and Joe

 _Love actually is…Unexpected._

Harry begged off as the reporters tried to stall him further. Giving his most recent date a kiss on the cheek, he tossed floo powder into the fireplace behind him and floo'd back to Hogwarts with a final wave to the paparazzi. He landed in the fireplace of the Teacher's Lounge a few seconds later and slumped into the nearest chair. He sighed.

He didn't understand what the Wizarding World wanted from him. It seemed like every week he was dating a new girl, and every date he had to fight off the paparazzi with a stick while his newest girlfriend basked in the limelight. No matter how many girls he went out with (and subsequently dumped when it became clear they were using him to get their own fifteen minutes of fame), the media always asked when he was going to meet the girl of his dreams and settle down. And no matter how many times he told them it would bloody well be easier without them dogging his every step, they still managed to appear every freaking time.

The Defense Master was drawn from his internal reverie by a nudge to his arm. He looked up to see a steaming cup of tea being offered to him by a slim, pale hand. He took it gratefully.

"Another bad date?" Severus asked, sitting in the chair across from him.

Harry groaned and blew softly on his tea. "Same as the last twenty," He muttered. The Potions Master had been his constant source of support, always ready to commiserate after each of Harry's failed dates. "She saw the paparazzi and suddenly I mattered only so much as being the celebrity whose arm she could hang on."

"I'm sorry, Harry," Snape replied solemnly.

"It's fine," The Defense Master demurred sadly. He looked into the black depths of his friend's eyes. "I don't think I'm ever going to meet the right girl, Severus. They all just want to use me to get their damn picture in the paper."

Severus moved to the edge of his seat, and gestured for Harry to come towards him. Harry sighed and set his cup aside, scooting to the edge of his seat so that his and Severus' knees almost touched. The man took Harry's hands.

"Harry, stop it." Severus chided him lightly. "I know you've had a rough run of it, but I have faith that you will meet someone soon who will fall madly in love with you. You're a strong, intelligent, gorgeous young man, and all you have to do is keep the hope alive."

Harry sighed again, but nodded. "All right, Severus. Thanks. I think I'm going to go to bed, I have to grade papers tomorrow."

Snape released his hands and leaned back so Harry could stand. "Good night, Harry. Sleep well."

The Defense Master nodded, his shoulders slumped, as he walked out of the Teacher's Lounge and headed towards the solitude of his apartments.

 _Love actually is…_

Another failed date. This one had actually been insistent enough to kiss him needily in front of the cameras. As Harry stood awkwardly, holding his newest girlfriend around the waist as she spouted off about their wonderful dates over the last few weeks, and how he was always the perfect gentleman, Harry realized that he didn't want to do this anymore. He was tired of trying to find the right girl, of having to turn down the media over and over again, only to have his private life plastered on the front page by whichever girl he was with at the time. With this realization came another, of what he was always happy to return to after every disastrous coupling.

"I need to go," Harry muttered to the girl dangling from his arm.

"But the movie starts in an hour, Harry." The young witch pouted. He'd thought that taking her to the Muggle cinema would keep the reporters away, but they had been waiting in The Leaky Cauldron, where he'd agreed to meet his newest arm candy.

The Wizarding Savior shrugged. "Maybe you can go with one of your new friends," He told her sourly, gesturing to the cameramen and journalists surrounding them. "But I've just realized that there's somewhere else I'd much rather be, and someone whom I'd much rather be with." The girl tried to stop him as he turned to the floo, but he pried her delicate hands off his arm and left in a flash of green flames, ignoring the hurt look on his date's pretty features.

He landed in the Teacher's Lounge, but saw that his dearest friend was not yet waiting there with tea in hand. He didn't blame him, he'd known for a while that Severus always asked what he was doing with each date so he could be waiting when Harry arrived back, and Harry wasn't meant to be back for a couple hours yet. Walking from the room, he made his way down into the dungeons where the Potions Master resided. After checking the man's empty office, he moved further into the dungeons and was soon knocking at the door to Snape's quarters.

After a minute, the door opened to reveal his quarry. "Harry, what are you doing? I thought you were going out with Miss Angelique this evening?"

"Can I come in?" Harry replied shyly. He didn't want to have this conversation in a drafty corridor.

"Of course," Severus said, staring at him curiously, but moving aside to allow him entry. "Is everything all right?"

Harry sighed as he walked into the warm living area of his friend's apartments, scratching at the back of his head. "I'm not sure, to be honest." He followed the Potions Master further into the room. "I was out with Angel, and I suppose we were having a nice enough time, but…I may be making a complete ass of myself here, but while I was out with Angel I realized I'd rather be 'in' with you, as it were."

Snape frowned. "I'm afraid I don't understand, Harry."

The Gryffindor blushed. "I prefer our warm talks over hot tea over any date I've ever had." He admitted softly.

The Potions Master looked stunned for a moment, and Harry had a second to revel in the fact that for once in his life he'd managed to make the man speechless. When Severus had recovered his faculties, the flabbergasted look was replaced with the typical smirk Harry was used to seeing.

"I'm flattered, Harry."

Harry grinned. "I'd have thought you'd be frustrated by now. Over a year you've been supporting me in my endeavor to find true love, and I'm the idiot who couldn't see that it was waiting for me in the most unlikely of places," He joked. "I love you, Severus, and I feel like a fool for not seeing that sooner."

The practiced, easy smirk didn't falter. "I assume this declaration of love is in the most platonic of ways?"

Gryffindor courage gathered around him like a cloak, Harry took a step forward into his friend's personal space, a deep blush warming his cheeks. "Not if you don't want it to be," He replied boldly. He stared resolutely at his twiddling thumbs between them.

The smirk did falter now, though only for a moment. "I appreciate the sentiment, Harry, but I'm too old to play at something casual. You're my friend, and I'm glad you're that, but perhaps that is for the best."

"And what if I don't want just something casual?"

"What are you saying, Harry? Why have you really come down here to be with a jaded old spy rather than enjoying the sweetly innocent smiles of your newest love interest?"

Harry forced himself to look up into the black eyes of his friend. "Well, as it turns out…you're the love of my life, Severus. And no matter how many innocent smiles I see, I prefer your playful smirks and sharp tongue to them all. I love you, Severus," He repeated carefully.

For a long moment black and green stared into one another. When no reply seemed to be forthcoming, the Wizarding Savior realized that, yes, he was an idiot, and Harry took a step back.

"I'm sorry, this was dumb…I shouldn't have said anything. I'll just- Let's not think anything of this, all right? I'm just being silly, right? We're friends, and I'm letting my Gryffindor sentimentality get the best of me is all," He sighed, trying desperately to keep the hurt from his voice. "I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing, and we can pretend like none of this ever happened." He started to turn to leave, but a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned, only to close his eyes as soft, pliable lips met his own. He blushed when the man pulled away. "I thought-"

"This is a bad idea, Harry. I'm nearly twenty years your elder, you deserve someone your age, who you can go and have fun with," Severus interrupted uncertainly.

Harry smiled softly. "I think we do all right there, Severus. No one makes me laugh like you do…and I know now that that's in part because no one gets my sense of humor like you do. You get me in ways that nobody else can." He turned back fully, stepping back into the man's personal space. "And as I recall from just last week, you throw a snowball better than any girl I've been with. If you don't want this, then we can go back to the way things were and act like I never came down here tonight. I'll go back to trying to find the right girl, and you can go back to pretending I'm just your friend."

"Could you live with that?"

"I'd have to, because it's the only way I could keep you." Harry replied solemnly. "Is that what you want?" The man didn't reply and Harry chanced a look into the burning black eyes. Something in the man seemed to snap then, as he was suddenly kissing Harry passionately, pouring months of frustration into that single, perfect moment.

Snape pulled away again, but only so far as to whisper against Harry's lips. "I love you, foolish Gryffindor that you are."

Harry smiled at that. "I'm glad, because you've ruined me for everyone else." And then they were kissing again, communicating without words all the love that had grown over cold dates and warm cups of tea.

… _Unexpected_


	2. A Choice

Juliet, Peter, and Mark

 _Love actually is…A Choice_

Severus scowled as he read that morning's paper. Harry Potter had at last announced the date for his marriage to Draco Malfoy. With a frustrated scoff, the Potions Master set the _Prophet_ aside just as the very topic of the article took up the seat beside him. He avoided looking at the Gryffindor as he poured his coffee.

"So you're finally getting married, Harry?" Minerva asked excitedly, leaning around Severus to look at the young Defense Master.

Severus caught the slightest hint of a blush out of the corner of his eye.

"I suppose so, yeah," Potter replied in embarrassment. "I know it's short notice with Christmas Break just a few days away, but Draco insisted we marry on Christmas Eve. I'm already a nervous wreck, trying to keep up with all of the planning."

"Oh, nothing to worry about, Harry, it's just pre-wedding jitters. You love the lad, don't you?" Minerva reassured him.

Severus growled and stood up from the table, leaving his breakfast untouched. His step faltered slightly when he heard Potter's reply.

"I suppose I must."

The Potions Master squashed the small blossom of hope rising in his chest, and continued out the side door, intent on hiding away in his dungeons until Christmas Eve had come and gone. After Potter married, he could lay aside his foolishness completely and move on.

 _Love actually is…_

Over the next several days, Severus found he could go nowhere without hearing about Potter's upcoming nuptials, and had had to begin taking his meals in his quarters just to find peace from the insistent discussions over the anticipated event. He was having one such meal only two days before the damned union when a knock at his door interrupted his perusal of the most recent Potions Journal. He set aside the mag and his lunch and answered the door, unpleasantly surprised to find the man of the hour waiting on the other side.

"What do you want, Potter?"

A light blush. "Can we talk? I wanted to ask about some potions for the wedding."

Severus growled, but moved away from the door and back into his living area. "I'm quite busy at the moment, Potter. What do you need?"

The young Defense Master followed him in, closing the door behind himself. "Severus, can't we just talk for a moment? I've been working with you for five years, and I'm marrying your godson. I'd like it if we could be friends."

"I don't need any more friends," Severus replied curtly, crossing his arms over his chest.

The brat sighed. "Fair enough. I just came to inquire about a potion to change my eye color. Draco thinks I should have blue eyes for the wedding, to match the sash on his robes."

Severus found he couldn't hold his tongue upon hearing this. "My godson is an idiot. He should change the color of his sash, not the most attractive physical feature of his husband-to-be."

The blush deepened even as Potter chuckled. "I suppose you're right, but I'm not brave enough to argue with him. Half the reason I'm marrying him so soon is because he wanted it, said we could have time to properly fall in love later."

Severus couldn't stop the spark of hope that made his heart leap into his throat. "You're marrying a man you're not in love with just because he wants it?"

"Well, it isn't just Draco. All of our friends say we're prefect for each other," Harry told him shyly. "To be honest, and because I feel like I should tell _someone_ , I don't know that we are perfect for each other. I've never really felt that spark everyone talks about when they fall in love. But, he makes me happy, most days, and that should be good enough, right?"

Wholly on impulse, Severus leaned forward and buried his fingers in the soft black hair of the younger wizard as he drew him into a breath-taking kiss. After a moment, he pulled away. Potter stared at him in stunned silence, and a small, hopeful voice inside the Potions Master prayed that the Gryffindor had felt the same spark he had.

Harry raised a shaking hand to his lips. "But you don't like me," He argued in a shaky voice. "You never talk to me. You always talk to Draco."

Severus frowned bitterly. "Something must be said for self-preservation."

"But you should have said!" Potter exploded, visibly panicking now. "Fuck, Severus, I'm supposed to marry Draco in _two days_! Gods, why would you spring this on me now?!"

"It's not as if I planned to kiss you just now!" Severus retorted, growing frustrated himself. "You just…you were talking about feeling no spark with Malfoy, and I thought, perhaps, you might feel it with me." He looked away, ashamed of himself, but was shocked by a firm grip on his lapel dragging him forward into a passionate kiss. He recovered from his surprise quickly and wrapped his arms around the younger wizard's waist, pulling their bodies even closer.

Potter pulled away. "I did, Severus…" He breathed, smoothing his rumpled collar distractedly. "That's why I'm so angry. I've never felt like this when I was with Draco, and it's unfair of you to make me feel this way so close to the wedding. Why couldn't you say something before this got so complicated?"

"I thought you were happy with Draco, and I didn't dare try and take that away from you. I just want you to be happy, Harry, even if it's with someone else. It's your choice, I just couldn't let you get married without you knowing you had one," Severus admitted softly. Soft lips covered his in another kiss, and he responded immediately. When they separated again, he realized Harry was crying.

"Fuck, Draco's going to hate me."

Severus couldn't help but give a relieved chuckle. "If he loves you even half as much as I do, he'll forgive you eventually."

Harry laughed past his tears. "If he's half the Slytherin you are, he'll have been pushing us both towards this eventuality, anyway."

… _A Choice_


	3. Universal

Jamie and Aurelia

 _Love actually is…Universal_

Harry walked into his house quietly. He had told Ginny he wouldn't be able to get away from the school, as he had to finish out his end-of-year grading, but he'd finished earlier than expected and hoped to surprise her. He came to a halt as he saw Colin coming from the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" He blurted in surprise.

The younger boy jumped at seeing him, blushing a bright red. "Oh, Harry, hi…I didn't know you were coming home. I-I was just checking in on Ginny, since she called and said you wouldn't be home for a few more days."

"I finished early," Harry replied, staring suspiciously at the boy, whose stance was that of a child caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

"Colin, come on, you can eat later," Ginny's voice called from the back of the house. "I'm naked and craving that delicious body of yours. I want to feast on you at least twice before Harry calls tonight!"

Harry glared at the younger man who used to worship him, somewhat satisfied when the idiot shrunk away from him in fear. "You should go," He growled dangerously. The camera enthusiast nodded quickly and skirted around Harry to flee through the front door. Harry turned towards the back of the house, intent on having a long talk with his girlfriend about the definition of 'fidelity'.

 _Love actually is…_

After dumping his girlfriend of two years, Harry sold their house and moved into his rooms in Hogwarts more permanently. It hadn't been a hard sale to make, as plenty of witches and wizard's wanted to say that Harry Potter had once lived in their home; it had been an even easier decision, as he'd only bought the place at Ginny's insistence that they needed a place to call their own besides her one room flat. When his friends asked about the sudden break-up, Harry explained that he wasn't really surprised by her infidelity. He had, all truth be told, been aware of a growing rift between them for some time now. Unfortunately, surprised or not, he was still hurt by it.

To keep himself from being alone, Harry spent the summer in the Teacher's Lounge at Hogwarts. His fellow professor's with nowhere else to call home filtered in now and again, so he was never alone for longer than a few minutes, and he was still left to concentrate on his planning for the upcoming term. His one constant and silent companion had been, to everyone's surprise, Snape.

 _Love actually is…_

Harry glanced up as a fresh cup of tea replaced his cold one. "Thanks, Severus," He murmured gratefully.

He received only a grunt in response as the Potions Master took up the chair on the other side of the table and set about reading a book. It occurred to Harry, then, that this was a habit he'd gotten used to over the summer, and was amazed it continued now, over the Christmas Holidays. He returned to his grading, but found himself distracted by the quiet, surly man across from him.

"Why do you do this?" He blurted when the failure to concentrate became too much.

Snape didn't even bother to look up from his book as he replied. "Do what, Potter?"

"This," Harry insisted. "Bring me tea and biscuits when I need them."

A glimpse of black eyes as the Potions Master glanced up at him. "I don't know what you mean, Potter. I was getting myself tea and thought you might appreciate some more yourself. I will be sure to keep these treacherously Gryffindor-ish actions to myself in future, since it seems to bother you so much." The man stood and walked to the other side of the room.

Harry was astute enough to recognize that there was no teacup in his hands as he left, nor at the table besides his own. He frowned, more frustrated now than he had been. Minerva took up the recently vacated seat.

"What's wrong, Harry?"

The Defense Master looked at his former Head of House. "I don't understand that man," He confided. "It's like we're speaking two different languages, and that's just when he _deigns_ to speak to me at all."

Minerva chuckled. "Oh, Harry, you mustn't mind Severus. He's always been the quiet sort, preferring to express himself through actions rather than words. It's like his Christmas gifts; he has trouble saying what he feels, and so gives us all specialized gifts to remind all of his colleagues and friends that, though he never says it, he does appreciate us. That he doesn't speak to you very often only means that he's unsure of how to say what he'd like to."

The older witch wandered away from the table, leaving Harry to his grading, and troubling thoughts. He wasn't an idiot; he knew what Severus' actions indicated when taken in context. But how could he be sure when the man hardly ever spoke to him? Then again, Minerva had just said that the Potions Master rarely expressed himself verbally. Harry was man enough to admit that, in the summer months when he had relied so heavily on the man's company, he found himself seriously attracted to the surly Potions Professor. But…without a verbal confirmation, how could Harry know what to do? Pulling away from this tireless circle of thoughts that was getting him nowhere, Harry turned back to his grading with a small shake of his head at the enigma that was his coworker.

 _Love actually is…_

The night of Christmas Eve came with Harry no closer to figuring out the mystery of Severus Snape. Despite the man's words, the cups of tea and platters of Harry's favorite biscuit had not stopped, but neither had the man really spoken to him either. He had tried, just the day before, but it was obvious to anyone who'd cared to look that it was a struggle to carry on a conversation that didn't pertain to anything of significance.

Frustrated beyond words with this inability to communicate with the man he could easily fall in love with were it not for the rift of speech, Harry rallied his Gryffindor courage and stormed down to the dungeons. It was decided. If Severus' language was one of actions instead of words, then Harry would take action. He found the man in his office, grading papers, and stood in front of the desk waiting to be acknowledged.

"What, Potter?"

Harry waited further for the man to look up at him, and when he finally caught those entrancing black eyes, he leaned over the desk and captured the thin, pale lips in a kiss. It was awkward, as he had to practically lay on top of the desk to reach, and the edge dug painfully into his pelvis. When he pulled away, he stared meaningfully into the dark eyes, waiting for some response or reciprocation.

Severus stood slowly and came around the desk, his brow furrowed in consternation. "Harry, I…" He trailed off uncertainly.

"You don't have to, Severus."

A steely glare. "I want to," The man insisted. He came to a halt so that they stood facing each other in front of the desk. "You communicate through words, and it's only right that I try to do the same, for your sake." Harry found his hands grasped in larger, calloused ones. "I love you, Harry, and though I shouldn't say it, I was glad when you found out Ginevra was cheating on you, because it gave me an opportunity to show you how I've felt for years now."

Harry smiled up at the man. "I can't say that I feel the same, about Ginny or about you…up until last summer, I never got to see the kind, thoughtful man that you are, so it was impossible for me to fall in love with you. However, I will say that I'm _falling_ in love with you, and have been ever since you let me see who you really are beneath this cold exterior."

Severus leaned down and kissed him hesitantly, and Harry responded with much more fervor. They parted after a moment, and the Potions Master smoothed a hand through Harry's hair. "I can live with that."

Harry smiled and drew the man into another, more passionate kiss, his own way of telling the man to shut up and kiss him.

… _Universal_


	4. Loyal

Harry, Karen, and Mia

 _Love actually is…Loyal_

Harry and Severus have been married for five years. Unfortunately, as can sometimes happen in a marriage, the spark has gone. And, as always happens, it is due in part to both, but more so the fault of one than the other. It started out as little things: a missed dinner, an agreement reneged on, a last minute cancel for a date…But as time wore on, so too grew the rift in their wedded bliss. Harry would find himself undermined when it came to the students, or would wake to a cold bed because Severus opted into sleeping on the cot in his lab, or Severus would brush him aside in favor of reading or talking with his apprentice; things that were no longer small, and that could no longer be ignored, until at last Harry stopped trying altogether.

As Harry sulked over his failing marriage, feeling on the verge of tears as he wondered if Severus even noticed that he now spent most of his time away from their shared quarters, he looked up to see the very man walking down the corridor. He stared on hopelessly as his husband passed him, oblivious, too caught up in a lively discussion with Draco to notice his bereft husband.

This had become the norm for Harry, watching his husband spend more and more time with the Potions apprentice. Harry leaned against the cold glass of the window whose sill he sat upon, staring out at the snowy grounds as he wondered, not for the first time, if Severus had advanced to cheating on him yet. He decided that cleaning might take his mind off of things, and headed down to their apartments where he knew Severus wouldn't return for hours yet.

Upon arriving, Harry immediately set to organizing their desks in one corner of the room. It was one of the few things he had managed to convince Dobby to let him tend to himself. He finished with his own desk, kept tidy for the most part in any case, and started to put away the books Severus had taken down from their shelves. As he moved one stack, a pile of scrolls shifted to reveal a small box.

Setting the books on the desk chair, Harry felt a blossom of hope as he wondered if perhaps Severus _had_ noticed his absence, and that this may be his Christmas gift. Unable to resist temptation, Harry picked up the long box. Nearly trembling with excitement, he opened the lid to see a glass rose on a bed of red velvet. A small card was tied to the delicate, hand-crafted work, and Harry flipped it open to read its contents.

 _Draco_

 _A gift of delicate beauty, for a delicate beauty_

Harry resisted the urge to shatter the rose as his own heart shattered in his chest. How could Severus do this to him? He moved to the couch, the box still clutched in his hands like a lifeline, and sat heavily. Deciding that he'd had as much as he could take, he allowed silent tears to roll down his cheeks as he waited.

 _Love actually is…_

It was only an hour's wait, a moment in Harry's grief, before Severus came into their dimly lit quarters to discover his husband sitting on the couch, staring at his clenched hands.

"Harry, are you all right?" He asked as he went to the book shelf and pulled out a book.

"What would you do in my position, Severus?" Harry asked, careful to keep his voice level even as more tears threatened.

"What position is that?" Severus asked distractedly, looking up from his book just as Harry pulled the long box out from where it had been hidden beside his leg.

Harry set the box on the coffee table. "What would you do if you discovered that your husband, a man who had sworn absolute fealty to you, had bought an expensive, romantic gift for another man?" He inquired, taking a shuddering breath. He refused to look up into the stolid black eyes even as he saw Severus freeze at the edge of his vision. "Would you wait to see if it was just a gift? Or a gift and sex? Or, Merlin forbid, a gift and love? Or would you leave, gathering the tattered remains of your broken heart?"

"Harry-"

"I've been patient, Severus," Harry interrupted, his tears falling again. "I tried, when you first started pulling away from me, to make it work. I waited up for you, left you to your devices when you asked it of me, and even pretended not to notice that you had rather sleep on a cot in your lab than with me in our bed. I kept plugging away at our marriage because I thought we were worth it, and that our love meant more than a few missed dinners or cold mornings." He looked up into the ashamed face of his husband. "I won't beg, Severus. I'm tired- tired of being the only one fighting to keep our marriage alive, tired of pretending that the amount of time you spend with him doesn't bother me." He stood and approached the man, who still stood like a statue, shame written on the dark features. "So I'm giving you a choice. You can decide whether you want this marriage to continue, or not, and I'll accept your decision either way. I am still as much in love with you as I was on our wedding day…it's time that you decided if you still feel the same about me." He placed a light, watery kiss on the aristocratic cheek, and left their quarters.

 _Love actually is…_

Harry was sitting on a bench beside the frozen lake, snow falling in light drifts around him, when Severus found him. He dried his eyes on his sleeve as his wayward husband sat on the bench beside him. They sat there in silence for several long minutes, watching the setting sun beyond the trees of the Forbidden Forest.

"I'm a fool," Severus muttered quietly.

Harry forced a breathless laugh that rose in a fog.

"Harry, I'm sorry." The man started bluntly. "I've been behaving like an ass the last year, and couldn't appreciate all that I have, and I wouldn't have blamed you if you'd left me when you found the gift I bought for Malfoy. I allowed myself to be swayed by our shared love of Potions, and I can never apologize enough for that. If it helps at all, I don't love him, nor could I ever love him, and I didn't sleep with him. I know that that doesn't make up for my obviously wanting to, but I pray that you will forgive my straying eyes."

"Why, Severus?" Harry asked. He knew the man would know what he was asking, and he was gratified by a frustrated sigh.

"I don't know…" The Potions Master answered honestly. "At first, I pulled away because I was scared. You inspire a powerful love and passion in me that no one else ever can, and when there was no diminishing in this after being married for four years, I became concerned about how it affected my work."

Harry turned to the man in surprise. "Severus, I never intended to come between you and your work, not ever."

Cool black eyes bored into him. "I know that, Harry, and it isn't your fault that I preferred you to my potions. In fact, it was my own idiocy that kept me from seeing that I was _happier_ with you than I was alone with my potions. When Draco came along, I suppose I let myself be drawn in because he was someone whom I could connect with over a bubbling cauldron. I let myself be pulled away from you, and I will regret that for every moment of the rest of my life." A pale hand held out the same long, white box that had held the rose.

Harry frowned, taking the box but not opening it yet. He wasn't sure what he'd do if Severus had just recycled the gift. Potion-stained fingers touched his, and he looked into the pleading black eyes of his husband. Drawing in a shuddering breath that ghosted in the night's chill, Harry turned back to the box and lifted the lid. Inside, nestled in red velvet, was a thin silver chain with a glass heart pendant. He fingered the gift and could feel the powerful shatter-proof charms that had been placed on it.

Severus reached into the box and withdrew the necklace, looping it around Harry's neck. "I broke the rose, and built this from the shattered remains," He explained softly, doing up the clasp in the back. "As a reminder to you that, even when I'm being a git, you will _always_ have my heart."

Harry studied the glass pendant dangling against his chest and looked adoringly at his husband, tears brimming now for a different reason. "Thank you, Severus."

Severus shook his head. "No, Harry, do not thank me for this. You and I joined in matrimony five years ago, and I hate that it took my near-infidelity to remind me _why_. I am deeply, passionately, irrevocably in love with you, Harry Potter, and I'm going to spend the next hundred years or more reminding you of that every day, so that you never again have to wonder about my fealty to you."

Harry leaned forward and captured his husband's lips in a tender kiss. "I love you, too, Severus."

… _Loyal_


	5. Inconvenient

David and Natalie

 _Love actually is…Inconvenient_

Severus groaned quietly as Minerva came up with yet another piece of paperwork that she needed him to sign. He almost regretted agreeing to replace her as the Head of the school. Only the saving grace that she would remain for another year to help guide him through it kept him from reneging entirely. He received a sympathetic smile as he signed the parchment with a flourish.

"We're almost done, Severus. All that's left is to greet the new hires that we agreed on, to replace Filius and Remus," Minerva assured him. A knock came at the door, alerting them to the arrival of the newest faculty members, and Minerva bade the two men to enter.

The Potions Master stood to appropriately greet his former students, rounding the obscenely large Headmaster's desk to shake their hands. The first to greet him was his own godson, and the blonde Slytherin pushed past the other new hire to shake Severus' hand warmly.

"Thanks for taking me on, Sev. I realize I was likely the best candidate for the position, so I'm not really surprised you chose me, but I promise I won't make you regret your decision," Draco said, maintaining a cool air.

"I am not displeased to have you join the staff, Draco, and I'm sure you'll do fine," Severus said diplomatically, biting his tongue to keep from saying that hiring both men had really been Minerva's last executive decision. He turned to the second hire, and was stunned by how much he had changed since his school years. No longer scraggly and scrawny, Potter stood only a few inches shorter than him and exuded an addictively attractive confidence.

"Mister Potter, I hope you are pleased with your quarters. You understand, of course, that Remus' quarters are still being cleaned out," He said gently.

Potter gave a slight nod. "Of course, Headmaster. I lived with Sirius for a year, I know how difficult it is to get the smell of wet dog out of the upholstery." He finished with an easy smirk, and Severus had to smother a laugh.

"I look forward to working with you, Harry, Draco. Perhaps Minerva could show you where your offices and the Lounge are located before you get settled?" Severus said, looking to the older witch.

The former Headmistress gave him a knowing smile. "What a splendid idea," She said. "Come along, boys, let us leave your new Headmaster to his work." She led them out and Severus stared after Potter, catching a flash of impossibly green eyes as the lad looked back at him before closing the door.

When he heard the grind of the gargoyle below, Severus slumped into one of the armchairs before his new desk. "Oh, that is so inconvenient," He muttered, thinking of his sudden and inexplicable attraction to the son of his boyhood rival.

 _Love actually is…_

The first month and a half of term passed for Severus in a whirlwind of parchment and politics. It seemed he rarely found a moment alone, but through it all he often found himself the target of dark, lingering stares from dangerous green eyes. Dangerous not only because of the powerful young wizard to whom they belonged, but also because of how much Severus longed for those lingering glances throughout his uncommonly busy days.

It was on one such day, when Severus was preparing for a teacher's meeting, that the owner of those green eyes crushed his fragile heart. He walked into the Teacher's Lounge in order to check that the House Elves had set up the long table he'd requested, and froze at the sight before him. The long table was indeed in place, and against it leant the constant subject of his thoughts with Draco Malfoy. Potter was leaning back, hands braced against the table, as Malfoy leant against him, one pale, manicured hand sliding up the side of Harry's thigh while the spoiled brat whispered in his ear.

Severus scowled when the two men noticed him and pulled apart. Turning sharply on his heel, he stormed from the room, ignoring Harry's pleas for him to wait. Despite them never having spoken of the attraction he had been sure was mutual, Severus felt betrayed by both men. He knew from Minerva's teasing that he had been less than discreet with his own lingering looks and playful banter, and he knew that Draco would have had to have been blind not to see it as well. Hiding away in his overly large office, Severus stewed over this unsightly turn of events.

 _Love actually is…_

Christmas Day came with no change in Severus' pitiful and sour mood. He had banned Potter from his office, forcing Minerva to act as go-between whenever the Gryffindor needed something of him. As an added measure, he had banished both new hires to opposite ends of the Head Table, to keep them away from each other (at least where he could watch their sickening displays) and from him. Settling in front of his fire, Severus summoned the customary gifts from the staff that had been piled at the end of his bed when he woke. He had finished all of his work for today, and was surprised to find himself looking forward to opening the gifts from his colleagues. He immediately set aside Malfoy's easily recognizable gift (a garish box in shiny green wrapping paper), and picked up one wrapped in practical brown packing paper. The card fell from the twine bow, and Severus set the gift aside to scoop up the folded page.

 _Severus,_

 _Herein lies everything I love about you. I'm sorry for what you saw, but I have never been very good at saying 'no', and Draco surprised me as much as he did you. The truth is, I love you._

 _Willingly and forever yours,_

 _Harry_

Severus felt his heart beat speed up rapidly as he reached for the brown package. Forgoing his usual grace and diplomacy, he ripped the package open to discover a small assortment of expensive and inexpensive treasures. First, he pulled out a raven's feather quill, with a note expressing Harry's desire to run his fingers through Severus' "gorgeous," soft hair. Next he discovered a crystal stopper and phial, with a note that Severus continue to 'stopper death'. The third item he pulled from the box was a small, silver pocket watch, with a note expounding Severus' need to constantly be punctual. The second to last was a snake clasp for his cloak, also silver, with onyx eyes, and a comment on the _swish_ of his robes that no one could imitate, and his smoldering black gaze. As Severus pulled out the last item, he couldn't help a small smile. It was a sharpened dagger, with a small label attached stating that this was to symbolize his sharp tongue and rapier wit.

Setting the gifts aside, Severus stood from his armchair, deciding that he had to speak with Harry. He left his quarters and office, intent on visiting the brat's quarters, only to realize as he reached the corridor that he had no idea where they were. He knew that Minerva had had to give Harry different quarters than Remus had used, but had no idea where these living quarters were. Just as he had decided to wait to speak with Harry after lunch, Minerva came up the corridor.

"Ah, Severus, how did you like my gift?" The cat animagus asked, smiling.

"To be honest, I haven't had the chance to open it," He replied unabashedly. She knew better than he did that even on Christmas the work was never done for the Head of Hogwarts.

Minerva shrugged, looping his arm with hers, and began walking him down the corridor. "No matter, it is only a subscription to your favorite Potions Journal," She told him mildly. "It was actually Harry's idea, that ingenious boy."

Severus whipped his head around to face her, blushing. "It was?"

Minerva smirked. "Oh yes, he helped me and a few others pick out gifts that best suited you when we were all discussing it a few weeks ago. It seemed to me like he knew all of your likes and dislikes best of all of us, despite the fact that we've all worked with you for twenty years or more. He really is an amazingly observant young man, and quite in love with you, I'd say."

Severus blushed, but declined to comment. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Minerva, Harry is my friend."

"Doesn't much seem like it," She argued mildly. "The way you've gone out of your way to ignore him the last month or so. He's even taken to sitting in the Great Hall alone, waiting for everyone else to arrive for meals, in hopes that one of these days you'll come in before everyone else so he can speak to you freely. Anyway, I must go. I have things that need doing, and lunch is soon. Ta, Severus." The elder witch unhooked her arm from his and waltzed away.

Severus stared after her in confusion, and then realized where he had allowed himself to be led. He was standing in front of the doors to the Great Hall. With a final, grateful smile at the wily old cat's retreating form, he entered the obscenely large chamber. As promised, Potter sat in his new seat at one end of the Head Table, reading a book patiently. With long strides, he approached the young man and covered the distance between them quickly.

When he was stood beside the Wizarding Savior, he reached out a hand to lightly touch his shoulder, only for the young man to bolt from his seat, wand in hand and trained on Severus. Severus smirked as the wand was immediately reseated in it's holster and the Gryffindor blushed in embarrassment.

"I really should be more aware of my surroundings," Harry murmured softly. "I didn't even hear you approach."

Severus chuckled lightly. "Yes, but at least we know your reflexes are well-honed." He stepped into the younger wizard's personal space. "I got your gift, Harry."

The blush deepened, reddening tanned cheeks. "R-really? Did you like it? I wasn't sure if you'd think it was too sentimental, or if perhaps I was just making a fool of myself by declaring my love for you on a Christmas card."

The young Headmaster cupped the burning cheek. "I loved it, Harry. And you aren't a fool. I am, I shouldn't have given you the cold shoulder the last month, not when I'd never told you how I felt, and certainly not without giving you a chance to explain."

Potter chuckled warmly, leaning into the hand on his cheek, and placing his own palm against the back of Severus' hand. "I probably would have reacted the same if our places had been switched. I'm sure Draco and I looked rather torrid, standing there in the Teacher's Lounge." Green eyes stared up at him balefully. "I meant what I said in my note, Severus. I love you, wholly and with every fiber of my being."

It was Severus turn to blush. "I love you, too, Harry, for better or worse." He leaned in to capture his companion's lips just as the doors to the Great Hall opened to admit the students for lunch. Ignoring the catcalls and wolf-whistles of the students (who were not so stupid as to have missed the growing tension between their Headmaster and Defense Instructor), he drew the younger wizard into a passionate, toe-curling kiss.

… _Inconvenient_


	6. Impressively Impertinent

Daniel, Sam, Joanna, and Carol

 _Love actually is…Impressively Impertinent_

It took two weeks for Harry to really notice that his beloved Godson's melancholy had little to nothing to do with the passing of his parents, Remus and Nymphadora. Teddy was appropriately upset about this, of course, but after having been missing for two years, he had already come to accept that they were never coming home. Harry did not feel the same. Always one for hope, he had clung to the dream that they would one day appear on the steps of Hogwarts in search of their son and honorary Godson. Without that hope, Harry found himself floundering and struggling to cope.

This was perhaps why it had taken so long for Harry to notice that his own Godson was, for all intents and purposes, irrevocably heartbroken over something besides the death of his parents. He watched Teddy for a short time, trying desperately to discern what was really bothering the lad. Remus would have known, he'd have seen what was happening and known immediately how to resolve the issue. But Remus was gone, and this left Harry in the position of discovering the problem and fixing it all on his own. After nearly a week of trying and failing to find the source of his Godson's pain, he resigned himself to simply asking.

He invited Teddy to tea a few weeks before Christmas, and the First Year showed up to Harry's quarters with such a sullen look that it broke Harry's heart. They shared their tea with minimal, muttered conversation before Harry finally worked up the courage to voice his questions.

"Teddy, what's been bothering you?" He asked sternly but softly. "I know you're upset about your parents, but I also know that's not all of it. As your Godfather, it's my job to help you, but I can't do that if you don't tell me what's wrong."

"You'll just think I'm being stupid," Teddy muttered, nibbling at a chocolate biscuit.

Harry frowned. "I would never think such a thing of you."

The silence held for a long moment, and Harry almost asked again when Teddy gave a long-suffering sigh.

"I'm in love." He announced.

It was said with such sincerity and sullenness that Harry almost laughed in relief.

"Is that all? I thought it was something worse."

Teddy eyed him with incredulity. "Something worse than the complete and consuming agony of being unrequited in love?"

Harry furrowed his brow and looked away from the accusing glare. "You're right, I'm sorry, Ted. Who is she…or he?"

Another sigh. "Her name is Joanna, and she is the most beautiful girl I have ever met. And she doesn't even know my name."

"Joanna?" Harry mentally sorted through the list of his students. "The Second Year Ravenclaw?"

Teddy nodded. "The very same. I know she's not in my House or Year, but I think she's absolutely amazing."

"Well, House and Year hardly matter, anyway," Harry assured the young Gryffindor. "Your mum was a Hufflepuff and ten years younger than your Gryffindor father. They weren't even at Hogwarts at the same time, and they were madly in love with one another." He paused. "So, what're we going to do about it?"

"Nothing," Teddy replied immediately. "Joanna doesn't even know my name. We're not even in the same classes. There's nothing I can do to win her heart."

"Oh, tosh," Harry cried vehemently, startling his morose companion. "There is _everything_ you can do. Do you love the girl?"

"I already said that I did."

"Well, then that's all you need!" Harry told the boy, grinning. "Show it to her, prove to her how much she means to you!"

"But _how_?" Teddy asked insistently.

"I-" Harry stopped. He didn't actually know _how_. His relationship track record went from bad to worse, he was a terrible example.

"Exactly," Teddy told him, as if that finished the conversation.

Harry frowned. "No, there has to be _something_. It's got to be something big, something that will make her fall as madly in love with you as you are with her." He slapped his forehead. "Of course! The talent show! She's singing, isn't she?"

"Yeah…but I'm not. I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket." Teddy admitted.

Harry chuckled. "I can't either. But you _can_ cast some pretty wicked spells, can you not?"

"I suppose…"

"Then, there you go. All you have to do is learn some really flashy spells, like a Muggle fireworks display or something. Show her how powerful and graceful you are. She'll see it, and Bob's your uncle, she'll fall madly in love with you," Harry announced proudly.

For the first time since the announcement of his parents' deaths, Teddy Lupin smiled a real, child-like smile. "That's brilliant, Harry! Why didn't I think of that? I'm going to go tell Professor McGonagall right now!"

Harry grinned. "Good luck, Teddy. Let me know if you need any help at all. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve that might help you catch her eye."

The eleven year old stood and danced around the table to where Harry sat, wrapping skinny arms around his neck. "Thank you so much, Harry."

The Defense Instructor chuckled as his Godson skipped out of his quarters with his father's grin and his mother's changing hair color. Well, that went better than expected. And, in spite of Teddy's view of what being in love felt like, Harry was phenomenally grateful that it hadn't been something worse. He didn't know what he would have done if it had been something like alienation from his peers for having a werewolf father, or because he could change his appearance at will.

 _Love actually is…_

For the next few weeks, Harry assisted his Godson in his pursuit of the flashiest harmless spells they could find. The two spent hours in the Library together, looking hopelessly for a selection, but in the end they gave that up. Everything they found was far too simple for Teddy's needs. Finally, Harry contacted his best friend, Hermione, who suggested a number of titles they could use. Harry ordered most of the books on the list, and then set to the difficult task of training his Godson how to do complicated maneuvers with his wand.

Teddy, for his part, was already a natural talent with most charms. Unfortunately, he was still just a First Year, and hadn't yet had the chance to acclimate to the fancier wand work. He and Harry spent a lot of time working out how he could hold his wand so that it would swish through the air the right way, and how to flick his wrist without moving his whole arm.

The next part was harder, once they started getting into it. Not only did Teddy have to memorize a slew of new spells that would be of little use everywhere else, but most of the spells were not the Latin that they were both accustomed to, but were instead Welsh or Gaelic…or, in one instance, Greek.

After some debate, they agreed that telling a story would make more sense than simply performing a series of spells. Anyone could cast, but it would show real power to control the spells enough to tell a story. The hardest spell to master control over was the summoning of a realistic model dragon that would breathe harmless fire. Finally, the day of the talent show arrived and Teddy declared himself ready to win the girl of his dreams.

 _Love actually is…_

Joanna's appearance came first, as Harry watched with the rest of the faculty in the audience. He couldn't help but agree with several of his colleagues as they whispered about how angelic she sounded. It was obvious what had his Godson so infatuated, she really was beautiful and talented.

Teddy was one of the last to perform. There were only a few from his own House that knew what he was going to do, as he'd wanted to surprise the school. He began his story by casting a spell that dimmed the light in the Great Hall and cast a spotlight on an empty section of the stage. Within the circle of light, he summoned the puppets that would play his actors and a moving background that looked a little shimmery, like a Muggle holograph.

The story was an old recycled tune that they'd spiced up in collaboration. A kingdom was being terrorized by a dragon, and the king sends out an order for every knight in the kingdom to bring an end to the beast. The reward would be his daughter's hand in marriage, and the throne. His daughter, who loved all animals big and small, hated her father for demanding the dragon's head, and refused to marry any who would dare kill it. Still, the draw of the throne was too much, and every knight tried to put an end to the dragon's reign of terror through the blade of their sword. Inevitably, they all failed, and only a few escaped with their lives. Finally, a brazen young farmer, tired of losing his livestock to the dragon, made the trip to the beast's mountain lair. He carried no sword, and had only the clothing on his back to shield him from the dragon's fire. Once at the dragon's feet, he offered up one of his sheep as an offering of goodwill and peace, hoping to ply the dragon into a court of discussion (as in all fairy tales, the dragon was capable of speech). Together, they worked out that the people of the kingdom could give over their old or ailing livestock, and in return the dragon would stop burning their land or stealing their food. He would even offer his services in defense of the kingdom, should the need arise. Even the dragon knew that, if things kept on as they were, he would die at the hands of a lucky knight or be forced to raze the entire kingdom to defend himself. They went together to the king, who agreed immediately to this solution that would not only save his kingdom, but make his daughter happy. The King was impressed with the young farmer's diplomacy, and decided that, under the technicality of the law, he _had_ brought the dragon's head, even if it was still attached to the living body, and granted him successorship of the throne. The princess was so pleased with the farmer's tenacity and slyness that she immediately agreed to marry him, commoner or not.

It was a happy, if terribly corny, ending, and Teddy's final spell had real rose petals falling over the audience as if they were really attending the wedding of the two puppets on stage. The Great Hall exploded in applause once he had finished. When the time came for the winners to be declared (something Harry had argued vehemently against with a few of his other colleagues), Teddy won first prize, with Joanna in second. Third place went to a Fifth Year Ravenclaw who'd demonstrated his Transfiguration skill by shaping a large rock (courtesy of Hagrid) into an incredibly detailed model of Hogwarts that had unfortunately turned an alarming shade of red once completed.

The three stood together on the stage, trophies in hand, to boisterous applause. Harry watched as Joanna first hugged Teddy, who grinned with disbelief, and then hugged the Fifth Year from her House, causing Teddy's face to fall with crushed disappointment. As the students began making their way out of the Great Hall to the carriages that waited to take the majority of them home, Teddy sat on the front of the stage morosely. Harry joined him after saying goodbye to Filius, who'd tried to engage him in conversation over Teddy's charm work.

"What's the matter, Champ?" Harry asked, jumping up to sit beside his Godson.

Teddy sighed, staring at his trophy in his lap. "I feel more like a chump, Harry. I did all that work and she didn't even say goodbye to me or anything. And now I've lost my one chance at winning her. She's going home for Christmas, and by the time she gets back she won't even remember my story."

"If it helps, you performed brilliantly," Harry said.

The younger Gryffindor looked up at him sourly. "It doesn't. What does it matter how well I performed if _she_ didn't notice? She was the whole reason I did this stupid thing."

Harry frowned and sat there with the heartbroken lad for several minutes. He was honestly out of ideas as to how to improve Teddy's mood. He'd been certain that, though instantly falling in love was an exaggeration, Joanna would at least want to _talk_ to the amazing First Year beside him. For no reason at all, a scene from a movie that he'd glimpsed from his cupboard as a child began to play in his head, of a man racing through an airport to tell his best girl that he was in love with her. He didn't know _why_ he'd suddenly thought of the scene, but it was a better idea than none, and the gesture couldn't hurt. It would certainly keep his Godson in the girl's mind over the break.

Decided, Harry stood and lifted Teddy off the stage. "Come on, it's not over yet."

"Where are we going?"

"To get the girl," Harry answered firmly.

"But she's _leaving_ ," Teddy argued. "The carriages are probably already at Hogsmeade. How are we going to 'get the girl'?"

Harry grinned. "With one final grand gesture." He grabbed his Godson's hand and began dragging him out of the Great Hall.

Together, they raced to Hagrid's hut, where the half-Giant still kept a herd of Hippogriffs on hand for his Fifth Year classes (older years made much more sense). When they reached the pen, Harry went inside and approached the nearest beast, a black and white one, cautiously. He bowed when golden eyes stared at him suspiciously, and after a moment the Hippogriff bowed as well. Carefully, he led the winged beast out of the pen to where his Godson was waiting curiously. He lifted the lad onto the feathered back, much the same as Hagrid had done to him years ago, and climbed on behind him.

"Hold on tight, Teddy." He gigged the Hippogriff forward and after several lurching steps, the wings unfolded and carried them into the air. He gently guided the eagle-head towards Hogsmeade and the Hogwarts Express that waited at the open-air station. They circled the station twice before Teddy pointed to a girl getting out of a carriage.

"There she is!"

Harry began guiding the Hippogriff down and his Godson suddenly forget his shyness where is crush was concerned.

"Joanna! Joanna, wait!"

Several students turned at the shouts as Harry landed their steed on the wooden platform. Teddy immediately slid from the feathered back, and as he took off down the platform to the girl racing towards them, Harry slid off as well, leaning casually against the Hippogriff's side. Many of the younger years were staring at him in awe, but most of the students were watching the young, budding romance about to start further down the platform. Harry watched as the two children came to a halt in front of one another, and the platform was quiet enough as they all watched that he could just hear what they were saying.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"I-" Small fingers halted Teddy's speech, and the girl leaned over to place a kiss on his cheek.

"I'll see you when I get back, Teddy."

Before the small boy could reply, the girl kissed his cheek again and hurried into the nearest compartment of the train. There were a lot of cheers and applause from the watching students as Teddy turned to walk back to Harry, grinning like a loon.

The Defense Instructor smiled at his Godson, but shook his head slightly in exasperation. "He should have kissed her."

" _That_ would have been terribly cliché, Professor Potter," Came the unexpected response.

Harry turned to see Severus Snape standing at his side, watching the First Year coming through the crowd. He blushed.

"I suppose it would have been," He admitted evenly. "But it would have made for a better story."

Severus turned to face him as the platform began to empty. "He is young, there will be plenty of time for stories as he grows older. Perhaps when he is your age he will be so recklessly impulsive as to declare his love in such a fashion, but for now he is still establishing who he is."

"Reckless impulsiveness has it's place," Harry said defensively.

The Potions Master smirked playfully as the train gave a sharp whistle to say it was preparing to pull out. "I never said it didn't. Have you and Lupin any plans for the Holiday?"

"Not really, just a lot of hot chocolate, and decorating my quarters. We'll spend a few hours with the Weasley's and Andromeda on Christmas day, but we decided to stay at the school, since it's his first year here," Harry told the man. "How about you?"

"I've been invited to celebrate elsewhere."

Harry felt inexplicably disappointed at this. "You're not staying at Hogwarts for Christmas?"

Snape gave a short nod. "I shall see you after the Holiday, Harry."

Just then, Teddy walked up, still grinning like a loon, and Snape turned to walk down the platform. The train wheels began to hiss as the brakes began to slowly disengage, but Harry hardly noticed as he stared after his colleague. He couldn't have said why if asked, but he found himself peculiarly wishing that Snape were celebrating the holiday with him and Teddy. A tug on the sleeve of his robes pulled him from his thoughts. He looked down to see his Godson staring up at him in consternation.

"Don't just stand there, Harry," The boy said. "Go after him!"

Harry blushed. "I-I don't…"

The First Year began pushing him down the platform and a large, strong head joined in the struggle. The Hippogriff was _helping_ him, intuitive creature that it was.

"Well, go _on_ , or you'll miss your chance!"

Harry looked down the platform, where Snape had paused to have a last minute conversation with one of his Slytherins. His blush deepened. "I…" He cleared his throat and turned to the two trying to push him towards the Potions Master. "Don't _move_ , either of you. I'll be right back." He eyed them both, and they each managed to look completely innocent. How did a Hippogriff even _manage_ that?

Drawing a deep breath, Harry turned back down the platform and began to walk in Snape's direction. "Reckless and impulsive it is," He muttered to himself. Sucking in another deep breath for courage, he started running down the empty wooden boards. When he was close enough, he called out to the man. If he could time it just right…"Snape, wait up!"

The Potions Master turned just in time to catch Harry in his arms. Harry closed his mouth over the thin lips of his colleague in a sweetly innocent kiss. Severus held him tighter to him as he returned the kiss. When they pulled away, Harry felt himself being lowered to the ground and he blushed as he stepped away from the man.

"H-have a good Christmas, Severus," He said ignoring the catcalls and cheers coming from the train as half their students watched their exchange.

Severus smirked. "It _does_ have its place, Harry; perhaps in front of the students is a bit too much temerity, though."

The Gryffindor looked away guiltily. "It was worth a shot."

Cold fingers touched his chin and forced his eyes up as the train began to pull out. He looked up in time to close his eyes as thin lips covered his own.

"I did say 'perhaps', Professor Potter," Snape mumbled against his lips. Another gentle kiss. "I will see you on the first, and we shall discuss your…impertinence."

Harry opened his eyes as the 'pop' of apparition joined the sounds of the train as it was leaving. Snape was gone. He turned back to where Teddy and the Hippogriff were waiting, and knew that this time it was he who was grinning.

On the flight back to the school, neither he nor Teddy felt the ice in the wind as snow began to fall from the sky above Hogwarts. They were both far too happy for such silly things as that.

… _Impressively Impertinent_


	7. Accomodating

Sarah, Karl, and Michael

 _Love actually is…Accomodating_

Harry was sitting in the Deputy Headmistress' office feeling slightly nervous. It was never a good thing when the woman called anyone to her office. If she wanted to speak casually with a fellow professor, she made a point of talking to them in the Lounge, or visiting them in their quarters. Once Harry had even been invited to _her_ quarters, when she'd needed his help with something; but her office was never a good thing.

Minerva McGonagall sat at her desk, across from the nervous Gryffindor.

"Harry, how long _exactly_ have you been working at Hogwarts as the Infirmary Assistant and Flying Instructor?" She asked pointedly.

Harry huffed a laugh and thought about it, glancing at his watch. "Um, three years, three months, one week, four days, and one hour…exactly." He answered.

McGonagall nodded wisely. "Alright. And how long have you been in love with Severus?"

"What?" Harry squeaked, startled. "I'm not…I don't-"

"Just tell me, Harry. Everyone already knows, even _he_ knows."

" _Snape_ knows?"

" _Everyone_ knows," McGonagall repeated. "Now, how long?"

The younger Gryffindor swallowed thickly. "I-I suppose…three years, three months, a week, and two days, give or take a few hours."

"I see," Minerva said evenly, still all business. "And what are you planning on doing about it?"

"Nothing," Harry answered immediately.

"Oh, yes you are, young man," Minerva said sternly. "The whole castle has been forced to watch you dance around your attraction for the man, and it's time that someone said that enough was enough. I'm that someone, and I'm saying it: enough. Either you tell Severus about your feelings for him by the end of the Christmas holiday, or _I_ will be forced to lock the two of you in a cupboard somewhere. And do not doubt that I will do precisely that just to have this over and done with. Are we understood, Mister Potter?"

Harry nodded fervently. "Yes, Professor McGonagall, I understand. I-I'll think of something."

Minerva smiled suddenly. "Very good, Mister Potter. You may go now."

Harry didn't have to be told twice before retreating quickly from the office. Once in the corridor, he began the slow trek back to his quarters. The conversation seemed surreal in his head, but he knew without a doubt that it really had just happened. Someone, his old Head of House no less, had finally called him out on his feelings for the unattainable Potions Master. Not only that, but she had coaxed him into promising to _do_ something about it. He had no idea what that something might be, but he did know that he had to do it soon. Christmas was only a few weeks away, and he had no desire for Minerva's solution to the problem. Coming clean with Severus was one thing, doing so under duress because he'd been too much of a coward to do it on his own was another thing entirely. A shameful, terrible thing. He was a _Gryffindor_ , damn it, he should have done something years ago.

 _Love actually is…_

Despite his promise to Minerva, and anger at himself for being a coward, Harry continued to dance around the issue at hand until Christmas Break. Part of him just wanted to walk up to the man and _tell_ him he loved him, or simply kiss him and have done with the rejection, and he even promised himself daily that he would do exactly that, one way or another, but the part that was terrified of getting his heart broken won out again and again.

There were _reasons_ , of course. They never seemed to be alone, was one. And Harry rarely had a minute of peace, since he was fulfilling three roles, was another. His work as the Infirmary Assistant had grown exponentially since Poppy's announcement that she would retire at the end of the year, and he was constantly fielding fights and questions from the Quidditch Captains as the Flying Instructor, not to mention refereeing every game. Plus, he just never seemed to know the right words.

On the first day of the Break, Harry was checking the Infirmary stock potions for the sixth time at Poppy's behest. She knew they were low on Pepper-Up, a must-have for the winter season, but she wanted a list of everything else they needed before the Holiday got into full swing. In her experience, and Harry's of the last few years, Christmas heralded a full Infirmary _at least_ once before the New Year was fully rung in, oft times more than that, no matter how empty the school seemed.

Harry was just finishing his inventory when Snape came into the Hospital Wing floating several crates of potions behind him. He set these crates on the bed nearest the potion cupboard.

"I thought you might need these for the Holiday," The man said.

Harry furrowed his brow and walked over to the six labeled crates. He looked at his list, and then back at the crates, and then up at the taller wizard. "But…these are everything we were short on. How could you possibly have-"

"It has been my duty to restock the Hospital Wing for more than twenty years, Mister Potter. I try to keep a tally of what the Hospital Wing needs, especially this time of year, so that I don't have to rush the orders," Snape explained. "Generally, these are the potions Poppy requires the most this time of year."

Harry blushed sheepishly. "Oh…I guess that makes sense. Um, thanks…for bringing them up, and for brewing them in the first place."

"It's a part of my job, Mister Potter. No thanks are necessary. Do you have everything you need?" Snape asked bluntly.

The Gryffindor nodded, clearing his throat. "Y-yeah, this is brilliant. We aren't short on anything else, unless Poppy wanted something in particular, but she won't be back from the Headmaster's office for another hour, at least. They're having their weekly tea."

Snape nodded curtly and turned to leave the Hospital Wing.

"Would you like to have dinner?" Harry blurted as the man made to go. His eyes widened in shock and disbelief at his own daring. Where the _hell_ had that come from?

Snape, for his part, simply paused in his steps and turned back to face the younger wizard.

Harry swallowed around the lump in his throat. "W-with me, I mean. Tonight? In my quarters?"

A dark eyebrow rose imperiously and Harry felt a sudden urge to run and hide from that black gaze. Finally, Snape spoke.

"I shall be there at 7. I'm allergic to fish."

With those parting words, the Potions Master turned and left the Infirmary. Harry stared after him for a moment in wonder and disbelief before turning to the task of putting away the Hospital Wing's new stock. He didn't smile, he was far too nervous and consumed with thoughts of how the evening could go wrong for that…but he did smirk, just a little.

 _Love actually is…_

Harry was so nervous he couldn't _breathe_. What had he been thinking, asking Snape to dinner? As far as he could figure, he was just giving the Potions Master a more private stage from which to reject him. But, only after he'd insulted Harry's cooking to the point that he'd never want to pick up a spatula again.

It, of course, never occurred to him that Snape agreeing to come to dinner might be a good sign of things to come. In his mind, the night could only go horribly, terribly, irreversibly wrong. It was with this in mind that he answered Poppy's firecall with a bit of relief. Perhaps one of the kids had the flu or something, and he'd have to postpone or outright cancel their date.

His luck held true…in a mangled, disastrous sort of way. Snape was standing in his living room when the Mediwitch called, and looked somewhat disappointed when Harry turned to answer her. Harry honestly felt terrible about doing so (the Gryffindor in him wanted tonight to happen, for better or worse, so he could finally stop pining, and the coward felt guilty for being glad that someone had interrupted), but his job came first no matter what. In any case, Poppy knew he had plans for the night, and wouldn't have called if it wasn't an emergency.

"Harry, I need you in the infirmary right now," The Mediwitch said urgently through the fireplace. "There was an accident outside and I've got three broken arms, two head contusions, and who knows what else. Apparently, the Fourth Years were playing a pick-up game on the Pitch, and there was a midair collision. Those who weren't in the collision hurt themselves trying to catch those that were. Please hurry, Harry."

"I'll be right there, Poppy. I'm coming through the floo, just give me a minute," Harry told her firmly.

The bobbing head in the fireplace nodded. "Just _hurry_."

Her head disappeared and Harry turned back to Snape, who was still waiting patiently. "I'm sorry, Severus, I have to-"

"I heard," Snape interrupted in his silky baritone. "Go, I can see myself out."

Harry hesitated. "I really _am_ sorry." He insisted.

Snape nodded. "I know you are, Mister Potter. You cannot help that you are needed elsewhere. As I said, I can see myself out."

Harry tried to hesitate again, but his need and desire to help his students won out and he turned to his fireplace. He threw in the floo powder from the pot on the mantle and stepped in, calling for the Infirmary. His last image before he was swept into the swirling vortex of the floo was of Severus still standing in his living room, looking for all the world as if he weren't really surprised or bothered by Harry's sudden cancellation of their date. The Gryffindor landed in the Hospital Wing more than a little heart broken. Whatever the night was going to hold was gone forever now. He had had his chance with Severus, and duty had won out. He could do nothing now but move on and do the job he loved, even if he would now never have the _man_ he loved.

 _Love actually is…_

The crisis ended an hour or more after Harry's sudden departure from his date. There had been eight students injured in all, though luckily only three of them were seriously injured. It had taken Harry two tries to reset a shattered ankle, because the boy wouldn't stop moving, but he felt like he'd at least helped some with the rest of the injured. He had no idea what he was going to do if something like that happened again after Poppy left.

Currently, Harry was cleaning up the Hospital Wing while Poppy was away giving a full report to the Headmaster. Technically, it was the House Elves job, and they would gladly do it, but he didn't want to return to his rooms. They would be empty, and the dinner he'd cooked for his date would be cold and congealing on the stove…he didn't want to go back to that just now. So, he'd set about picking up the empty potion phials to recycle, the unused wound dressings, and banishing the used wound dressings.

He was half-finished when he heard the door to the Infirmary open.

"How did it go with the Headmaster?"

"I'm sure I don't know, Mister Potter."

Harry's head shot up from where he was sweeping the used dressings into a pile. Snape was stood casually at the other end of the long wing with a basket in his hand. He looked for all the world as if this was entirely normal for him.

"What're you-"

"You couldn't come to dinner," Snape said, moving down the row of beds with his long, sweeping steps. "So, dinner came to you." He stopped beside the bed Harry was working near and set the basket down with a subtle flourish.

Harry looked at the basket and saw the wizarding equivalent of Tupperware, filled with the dinner he had cooked. There were two plates, two wine glasses, and the bottle of wine Severus had brought to his apartments what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Why did you-"

"I understand that your patients and students will come first, Harry. If our positions had been reversed, and I had been called away, I would have done the same as you. I like to think you would have made the same effort that I am now."

Harry blushed, setting aside his broom as he stepped towards the man. "I can't say that I would have. I sort of took my being called away as a sign that tonight just wasn't meant to happen."

"Then it is good that I held enough hope for the night's events to suffice the both of us," Snape said simply, pulling Harry closer to him with firm hands on his hips.

Harry chuckled and wrapped his arms around a stiff neck as he stared into the fathomless black gaze. "Has anyone ever told you that you're incredibly romantic?" He asked with a soft smile.

Severus smirked. "It is a closely guarded secret. I shall have to try harder in the future to hide this facet of myself."

Harry shook his head as he ran his fingers through feather soft raven hair. "Don't you dare." He leaned up and placed a gentle, chaste kiss on his companion's lips. "I love this side of you."

"Then I shall endeavor to accommodate you, Mister Potter."

This time, Snape closed the distance between their lips, and the kiss was anything but chaste.

 _...Accomodating_


	8. Surrender

Colin, Tony, Harriet, Carla

 _Love actually is…Surrender_

Harry was pouting. He knew it, and it was obvious for anyone to see if they so much as glanced at him. He didn't look over as someone joined him on the couch in the Teacher's Lounge. It was Severus, of course it was. Everyone else felt too much pity for him to actually try and talk him out of his funk.

"I take it your date didn't go well?" Snape asked casually.

Harry scoffed. "No."

"What happened this time?"

"She didn't like my humor!" Harry cried, animatedly gesturing with his hands. "She said it was too dark, and she didn't see how I could laugh about something that should have been so traumatic!"

"You told her the story about the graveyard, didn't you?"

"The ghost of my dad was _making faces_ at _Voldemort_ , that shit is hilarious!" The Gryffindor insisted.

Snape shrugged, sipping at his coffee. "Maybe it's one of those things where you had to be there to get it."

"You got it, and you weren't anywhere near the graveyard that night!" Harry argued vehemently.

"Yes, well, I'm a different sort of person," Snape replied calmly. "Why don't you just give up? I did, years ago, and look how happy I am."

Harry scowled and slammed his fist into the upholstery of the couch's arm. "I will not!" He declared, loud enough that several teachers glanced surreptitiously in their direction. "There _is_ someone out there for me, dammit, and I will not be swayed into thinking otherwise."

"As you wish," Severus said.

Harry went back to pouting against the arm of the couch. A part of him thought Severus' idea had merit. He'd been on perhaps twenty dates in the last year and not one of them had had a follow-up. Still, something had to be said for stubbornness. If he'd given up on defeating Voldemort, they'd all be living under that madman's thumb, or dead; if he'd given up applying for the Defense post after he graduated, he would never have gotten it on the fifth try. He just wasn't the sort of person to quit. He actually thought he might be physically incapable of throwing in the towel.

 _Love actually is…_

Harry glowered at his reflection in his bathroom mirror as a knock came at the door to his bedroom.

"Come in!"

He knew it was Severus even before he looked. Albus was the only other one who had the password to his rooms, and the aging Headmaster would have waited for him in the living room. After another moment of trying and failing to do something with his hair, Harry turned away from his reflection in disgust and spelled the bathroom light off. He walked out of the suddenly dark room to see Snape sitting casually on his bed, watching him with that unsettling black gaze.

"What's up?" Harry asked, moving to his wardrobe. "I thought you were brewing for Poppy this weekend?"

"I'm putting it off, she said none of it was urgent," Snape told him.

After four years of being on amiable terms (one might even call them friends, since the man had helped him get his job), Harry had discovered that, while Severus Snape was a hard-ass in the classroom, he was actually a fairly laid back individual. He tended to his responsibilities dutifully, of course, but if it was the weekend and nothing was pressing, he had no qualms putting things off for a day or two in order to relax.

"So what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out torturing the students? There are only a few more weeks until Christmas, and you never have as much fun when most of the kids are gone," Harry said, chuckling as he sifted through his clothes.

Snape gave an appreciative chuckle as well. "I can't say I didn't consider doing precisely that, but I thought we might spend the evening together. There's a new movie at the cinema in London, _Alexander_ ; it's the film reproduction of Alexander the Great's life. I know he's your favorite historical figure, and I thought we might catch the late show after dinner at that restaurant you like. My treat, of course, as I'm the one asking."

Harry grinned as he pulled out the coat he'd been looking for. "That's sounds great, Severus, but I can't. _I_ have a date." He turned as he shrugged the thick jacket on over his shoulders.

Snape's chuckle this time was more than just appreciative. He stifled himself with a small snort as Harry scowled at him. "Oh, you're serious."

"Do I ever joke about a date?" Harry inquired angrily.

Thin lips quirked in a practiced smirk. "When one considers that most of your dates _are_ jokes, the question really rather answers itself."

"Git," The offended Defense Instructor growled, turning to leave the room. Snape followed.

"Where are you taking her?"

Harry paused in front of the mirror over his fireplace mantle, trying again to manage his unruly hair. "She said she was the adventurous sort, so I thought I'd take her to that new restaurant in Knockturn Alley, the one with the forest atmosphere that you took me to last week, with all the waiters dressed up as Dark creatures. Ron and Hermione are meeting us."

Severus snorted. "You're taking her _there_?" He asked incredulously, barely containing his laughter. "She'll run scared before you're even _seated_!"

Harry rounded on his friend. "You don't know that," He argued petulantly. "She might _love_ it! If she's the girl for me, she'll think it's as brilliant as I did."

Snape could apparently hold his derogatory laughter no longer. His silky, baritone voice roared disparagingly as he made his way towards the door. Harry could still hear the Potion Master's amusement bouncing jauntily around in the corridor as the man left.

He scoffed and turned back to his reflection. "That man is so _infuriating_!" He cried to his empty rooms as he attempted to flatten his hair.

 _Love actually is…_

The Teacher's Lounge was mostly empty when Harry returned less than an hour later. He didn't so much sit on the couch beside the Potions Master as collapse onto it. He was openly pouting again, and scowled when he saw that his colleague was just as openly smirking while he read his Potions Journal.

"Not a _word_ , Snape," Harry growled, crossing his arms over his chest as he threw himself back into the couch.

The aggravating former spy merely hummed innocently and they sat in silence for a minute.

"She said I was a freak for thinking the restaurant was cool," Harry muttered mournfully. "She didn't even stick around long enough for our drinks to arrive, and got angry with _me_ when I said I didn't mind eating somewhere else, but we would have to wait for my friends so they knew we were changing our plans! When I reminded her that she'd _said_ she was adventurous, she screeched that she'd meant 'in bed' like I was somehow supposed to know it didn't apply elsewhere!"

Snape was still pretending to read, but he was now snickering so much that Harry could feel the couch cushions vibrating.

"Yuck it up, Chuckles. I _will_ get it right…eventually." The Gryffindor told him moodily.

Severus sucked a deep breath in noisily through his overlarge nose and stood up, tossing his magazine onto the coffee table. Harry watched him suspiciously as a pale, long-fingered hand was held out to him in invitation.

"Come on, Potter. We can still get dinner and catch the last showing if we hurry."

Harry couldn't help the small smile that stretched his lips. "Really?" He reached up to grasp the hand being held out to him, but paused before their palms could make contact, and pulled back warily. "You're not going to spend the evening trying to convince me to 'give up', are you?"

A slim eyebrow rose imperiously. "I solemnly swear that I shall be on my best behavior."

This time, Harry grinned as he reached out to take the Potion Master's hand. "I knew before I did it that showing you the map would be a mistake, and I did it anyway. I should really start listening to my instincts."

Snape smirked as he led the way back to the fireplace, where they would floo to the Wizarding restaurant. "Perhaps if you did, you wouldn't waste so much time on all the wrong girls."

Harry rolled his eyes as they stepped as one into the crackling green flames. He would never say it aloud, but he secretly agreed.

 _Love actually is…_

The film, unfortunately, was horribly historically and culturally inaccurate. It didn't even hint at the numerous battles that had led to Alexander of Macedon's title of "Great", and, in Harry's opinion, maintained a terrible vision of the Ancient Greek culture (and those of the conquered lands) with men being forceful in their sexual advances to the point that they actually _were_ forcing themselves upon their desired women. Harry knew from excessive study of the time period (it was his favorite) that Greek men would never have dared raise a hand in anger against women who were not their wives. Most of those women, either slaves or freemen, worked for ferociously protective Greek men in power who would never have allowed such a despicable display. Not to mention, throughout most of Greek history it was considered utterly shameful to raise your hand to a woman, and like the knights of the medieval era, honor was everything to them.

Harry said as much to his companion as they walked away from the theater, still munching on their popcorn.

Snape hummed thoughtfully. "Yes, but at least they semi-accurately portrayed the Greek Muggle acceptance of homosexuality. The Ancient Greeks always took after our World, before the separation, in that respect. Love was, and is, love. It doesn't matter who it is you feel it towards."

"As long as you did your duty and produced heirs, of course," Harry added.

"Obviously," Severus agreed. "Although, Wizards discovered means of producing heirs through a surrogate witch even back then, and Muggles have finally caught on with their own technology a couple thousand years later."

Harry smiled. "Well, back then they still didn't fully understand the human body, and after that the Catholic Church declared that even having sex with your wife was a shameful act, never mind sleeping with the sexy pool boy next door."

"Pool boy?" Snape asked with a smirk, taking some of the popcorn from the diminishing supply in the bag.

"Something that Seamus said once," Harry demurred, waving the man off. "Apparently, Muggles make a habit of hiring body builders to clean their pools, or at least that's how they portray it in the pornographic media. Personally, I don't see the draw of all that muscle. It's stiff, unyielding, and I imagine it would make sex awkward as hell. I'd be worried about breaking my nose on the guy's shoulder."

"So you've thought about it?"

Harry flicked a piece of popcorn in the air and angled himself to catch it in his mouth only to have it snatched away. He glared sulkily at his friend, who continued to smirk as he ate the kernel.

"Git."

Severus nudged his shoulder, making him stumble. "Brat."

Harry straightened and resisted the urge to stick his tongue out. "I _have_ thought about it, though, to answer your question."

"I thought you were straight?" Severus asked curiously.

Now Harry smirked. " _I_ never said that. Everyone just assumed because I don't date guys. To be honest, _I_ sort of assumed the same, since my first sexual attraction was Cho Chang, and then Ginny, both girls. It didn't even occur to me that I had other options until I saw Seamus getting out of the showers in my Seventh Year. Now _that_ was awkward."

"I can only imagine," Snape said drolly.

They walked in silence for a while after that. Technically, they could apparate back to Hogwarts from any of the alleys they passed, but Harry was enjoying the cold night air with winter fast approaching. Besides that, The Leaky Cauldron was only a couple miles away, and they weren't required to be back at the school for another couple of hours. They each had the small communication mirrors Albus handed out to the staff that allowed them to leave the grounds almost at will.

"That's it!" Harry exclaimed as they rounded the corner that would lead to the Diagon Alley entrance a few blocks away.

Snape started slightly, jumping away from him in surprise. "What's what?" He demanded, straightening and pretending as if hadn't been startled by the sudden cry.

" _Guys_!" Harry said as if it were obvious. "This whole time I've been trying to find the right _girl_ , when I should have been looking for the right _guy_. _That's_ why I haven't had any luck!"

Severus scoffed. "That's ludicrous, Potter." He grabbed the mostly-empty popcorn bag and dropped it into a trash receptacle as they passed. "You haven't found the right _anyone_ because you're an impossible enigma; one part naïve innocence, two parts war-torn lunacy."

" _You_ get me," Harry argued, his good mood unyielding in the face of his sudden epiphany. "So do Ron and Hermione. I just have to find a guy who understands what I went through and how it affected who I am as a person."

"Isn't that exactly what you were looking for in a woman?" Snape pointed out.

"I-" Harry stopped, and Severus stopped with him, gloating silently with his arms crossed over his chest. After a moment's thought, Harry grinned. "You're right, it is…but if I start looking at guys as well as girls, my chances of finding the right one are doubled."

Severus rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air as he turned to continue towards the Leaky Cauldron. "I give up."

Harry chuckled and hurried to catch up with the exasperated Potions Master.

 _Love actually is…_

As it turned out, guys were _definitely_ the better option. For one, Harry didn't feel half as nervous, going out with a guy. For two, he found it easier to relax and let go of what little nerves he did feel. Of course, both probably had something to do with the guy he was going out with, too.

He'd called Seamus after he and Severus had gotten back to the school, to see if his fellow Gryffindor could set him up with someone (he knew surprisingly few openly gay men, despite how common and accepted it was in the Wizarding World). Seamus had thought he was kidding at first, but after assuring the Scotsmen that he was, in fact, dead serious, they started to talk about what he was looking for. Harry had explained that he wanted someone who could at least _try_ to understand who he was as a person, and not a celebrity, and Seamus had jokingly asked if he'd considered dating a friend, since he was currently single. Harry had seen nothing wrong with this idea, and had immediately asked the other wizard on a date.

Thanks to scheduling problems, it was Christmas Break when they finally managed to get together. It didn't bode well for a potential relationship, since Harry was only free on weekends (barring holidays) and Seamus worked mostly on the weekend, but Harry was still pretty confident that they could make it work if it came to it. They'd just have to take things painstakingly slow until the summer.

Seamus, apparently, didn't see it this way. The date went swimmingly, excepting a few jokes that the Scot didn't quite understand, and a misunderstanding when Harry tried to talk about the other boy's work only to discover that his friend wasn't much of a conversationalist. Afterwards, Harry offered to take Seamus home. It was something Harry did after every date, if they got that far, because he felt it was the chivalrous thing to do. When Seamus invited him in for a drink, he accepted. His Holiday marking was done, and he had nowhere else to be.

It never occurred to Harry that this was meant to be a subtle hint that Seamus expected more than a good night kiss until he found himself pinned against the door of the Scotsman's flat as soon as they were inside. For his part, he found he definitely enjoyed kissing another man over any girl he'd kissed previously. His body was certainly responding more readily to Seamus' wandering hands.

Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to keep his mind on the man he was with. In his head, he kept seeing thin lips, the corners quirked in an attractive smirk; or he would hear the dark chocolate tones of another's voice when Seamus muttered needily into his ear. Finally, when a hand smaller than his own cupped him through his slacks and he opened his eyes to feel crushing disappointment at not finding the fathomless black gaze of the man in his head, he gently pushed the other wizard away.

"What's wrong?" Seamus asked. "Too fast?"

Harry cleared his throat and bowed his head in frustration. "No, it's…I'm just not feeling it."

Seamus smirked, and Harry couldn't help thinking that it looked wrong on his face. "That's not what your body's telling me," He murmured huskily, moving back into Harry's personal space.

The Defense Instructor pushed him away again. "I know. And I'm sorry, but…I'm not really…responding…to you…" He said carefully, wincing in preparation for the blow-up from that revelation.

Seamus only laughed. " _Oh_ , I see," He chuckled, stepping away. "My hands, but someone else's in your head?"

Harry ducked his head in shame. "Something like that. I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's no skin off my nose," Seamus replied easily, grinning. "We've all been there. Hell, I go there half the time I'm with someone."

"Really?" Harry asked uncertainly.

His fellow Gryffindor nodded sagely. "Everyone's done it at some point. It sucks, especially since most people aren't as understanding as I am, but you can't help it if you've got feelings for someone else. I do have to ask, though…Why're you here with me if you've already got a love interest?"

Harry frowned, rubbing the hair at the back of his head. "Probably because I didn't _know_ I did until just now."

Seamus actually laughed again at this. "Well, then I'm glad to have been of _some_ assistance, in any case."

Harry wasn't entirely sure how to respond, or how to leave without feeling like an ass, so he shuffled his feet awkwardly. Strong hands landed on his shoulders and he looked up into sea-blue eyes abashedly.

"Don't feel bad, Harry. I really am glad I helped you figure this out. Now, go on, there's obviously somewhere you'd rather be, and someone you'd much rather be with," Seamus urged.

Harry smiled gratefully and placed a swift kiss on the other wizard's cheek. "Thanks…you're a good friend." He turned to the door and pulled it open as Seamus replied with an exaggerated sigh.

"That's what they tell me."

 _Love actually is…_

Harry had managed to make it about a block from Seamus' flat before he realized he had no idea of what he was doing. He knew what he _wanted_ to do; he _wanted_ to race back to Hogwarts and kiss the man who had ruined the first good date he'd had in months. This, however, was not in his style. Despite an overly incautious approach to other aspects of his life, he was _terrified_ of romantic rejection. It was a wonder he hadn't given up on love by now, when he thought of how many times he had been rejected just in the last year, never mind the last few years.

It was this very thought that told him what he should do.

Severus wasn't in the Teacher's Lounge when Harry returned to Hogwarts. He was somewhat disappointed, but then he glanced at his watch. His date had lasted longer than any previous, and it had taken another hour to run his errand between leaving Seamus and arriving at the school. Even if Severus had waited for him, to offer his particular (cruel and teasing) brand of commiseration should the date end as badly as every other had, he would almost certainly have assumed by now that the date had gone _very_ well and that Harry wouldn't be returning until morning.

Screwing his courage to the sticking place, Harry marched down to the dungeons. He found himself at the Potion Master's quarters much sooner than he'd have liked, and wavered outside. For some reason, he couldn't seem to decide if he should knock. When he finally did, he could literally _feel_ his anxiety rising. Why the hell was this so hard? Technically, he'd asked the man out, and been asked out in return, a hundred times.

"I can _hear_ your mind working."

Harry practically leapt out of his skin as he rounded on the dark figure behind him with a stifled shout. "Don't _do_ that!" He exclaimed, clutching at his chest. His heart had been racing before, but now he was sure it was attempting its grand escape from behind the bars of his ribcage. He scowled when Snape chuckled. "Git."

"Brat," Snape replied immediately. "What're you doing here? Aren't you meant to be out with Mister Finnegan?"

Harry blushed. "I-wait, where were _you_? I looked for you in the Teacher's Lounge and you weren't there. I'd assumed you'd be in your rooms."

Snape shrugged and shooed him aside, leading the way into said quarters. "I was getting a snack from the kitchens. When you didn't return to wail your woes after the first hour or two, I presumed that you had had a successful first date with Mister Finnegan. Was I wrong?"

Harry followed the man into the surprisingly warm dungeon quarters. "Well…yes and no. It went better than any other date I've had, but not great. Despite the fact that we've known each other for over a decade, Seamus still doesn't really get me. Not like you do, at least. Thus…Movies?" He pulled two tickets from his pocket and waved them in front of Snape's face.

The man scowled and grabbed his wrist in a deceptively strong grasp, yanking the tickets out of his hand. "I hate it when you do that."

Harry grinned. "I know. You wanna come?"

Severus looked down at the tickets, then back up, those black eyes boring into him. " _The Phantom of the Opera_? You hate musicals."

"Yeah," Harry agreed, still grinning. "But you don't."

Snape eyed him curiously, then finally nodded. "All right; let me change, I'll be out in a minute. Touch nothing."

Harry chuckled as the man pressed the tickets back into his hands and turned on his heel. "I think I know the rules of your rooms by now," He said as the man retreated into his bedroom.

As soon as the door closed, he slumped visibly. This wasn't going as planned. He'd wanted to offer the tickets up as an official first date, since that was what they did most often when they went out. Hell, it was how they'd gotten onto speaking terms in the first place, having run into each other at the cinema. There had only been two seats left in the theater, and they'd wound up sharing commentary, both scathing and appreciative, throughout the film.

Somehow, it had all gone pear-shaped, though, as soon as he'd been confronted with the actual man. It had been so easy to slip into their casual exchange. While it was good that his nervousness was all but forgotten, he felt like a heel for letting himself forget the entire reason he was down here. Still, nothing said he had to press the issue tonight. Maybe they could just continue like this, at least for the holiday, and he'd address it later. He would, eventually. Harry wasn't an idiot, he was well aware that he suffered from an acute lack of self-preservation, and the chances were good that if things went on, with him now knowing of his attraction, he would do or say something that would make said attraction abundantly clear to the stoic Potions Master.

As if summoned, Snape suddenly opened the door to his bedroom and stepped out, wearing business casual Muggle attire. Harry grinned. The man was certainly more laid back than he let on with his students, but his wardrobe seemed to lack anything that might suggest such a hidden truth. Business casual was as close as Harry had ever seen him get to just plain casual.

"You're going to want a coat," Harry pointed out. "It's snowing."

"I am aware, Potter," Snape said. "I do not need you to act as my meteorologist." He approached Harry and reached past him to grab the only winter coat he owned off the hook. He studied Harry as he slid into the long, thick trench coat. "You don't seem very broken up about your most recent failed date."

"Nope," Harry said, still smiling. "I'm not letting it bother me in the least."

Snape hummed as they moved out into the corridor. "Really? You seemed so sure that your decision to pursue your own sex would yield better results."

Harry nodded, walking beside the man as they moved down the corridor towards the Entrance Hall. "I know, but I just can't bring myself to care anymore. I've decided you were right."

"I usually am," Snape replied matter-of-factly. "What was I right about this time?"

"I'm giving up," Harry announced, gesturing dramatically with his hands.

In the next instant, he felt a long fingered hand grip his waist and whirl him around into strong arms. He gave a slight 'oof' as their chests collided, and looked up into the smiling black gaze of his companion.

"That's all I ever asked," Snape murmured.

Harry grinned as thin, pale lips descended on his own. Well, that worked.

… _Surrender_


	9. Everywhere

John and Judy

 **A/N:** This one is terribly short. I didn't do John and Judy justice, but neither did the film. I apologize.

 _Love actually is…_

Three weeks they had been like this. Albus had given them what had seemed like a simple assignment. The Board of Governors wanted a new Defense Course that filled in the spaces the students missed out on trying to cover both Dark Creatures and Dark Magic in a single course, to be offered as an optional class for the Seventh Years. It made sense, and most of the staff had agreed that it should have been offered years ago. So, when Harry had been asked, as the Defense Instructor, to work with Severus Snape, who knew more than any of them (besides the Headmaster) about Defense Against the Dark Arts, it had seemed like a no-brainer.

And they worked well together, there was no mistaking that. What should have taken them months had only taken them a few weeks, and they were already almost finished. With luck, they'd be done by Christmas, allowing Albus to submit it for approval to be instated in the next semester. It would push out some of the Seventh Years who had classes at the same time on the new timetable, but it was better than waiting until the following term. They had both agreed early-on that the class was as necessary now as it would have been during the War.

Unfortunately, they just couldn't seem to…mesh. Whereas Harry was normally lively and talkative, he couldn't seem to form a full sentence while they were working. He was shy, and awkward, and it was killing him because he didn't know why he was acting so oddly. Snape didn't help at all. He wasn't normally the most talkative of people; anyone who'd met him knew that, when he did speak, he often made you wish that he hadn't, because his words could be like daggers. Even then, Harry almost wished he _did_ talk, even if only to insult him. Most days he only managed to get grunts and noncommittal hums. It was enough for their purposes, and the man did deign to speak when necessary, but it was also terribly infuriating. Three weeks and their longest conversation amounted to:

"What do you think of…"

"It will suffice."

Nothing more than that was said while they were sequestered in one office or another.

Finally, as they were gathering their scrolls to present to the Headmaster (they'd decided on more than one syllabus, leaving the final decision to the Governors), Harry decided he'd had enough.

"Would you like to go out with me?"

Snape looked up from where he was packing away his spare parchment, ink, and quill. "Do you mean a date?"

Harry sucked in a deep breath. "Yeah…" He said warily. He was utterly prepared to shrug off the forthcoming rejection. He'd only asked as a guess at what the hell was causing all this damned tension between them. At the very least, it might help him get over this sudden schoolboy idiocy he'd been experiencing.

Snape eyed him critically. "I think…I would." He said at last. "Merlin knows why, but dinner with you sounds appealing."

Harry grinned. "Fantastic."

They returned to gathering their things in silence, and Harry actually felt the coil of tension in his stomach start to dissolve. It was still a fairly short conversation, but it was longer than any they'd had previously. Besides, there would be time for conversation later.

When they had finished packing away their things, Harry followed his companion out into the corridor. Still as silent as the grave, but much more comfortable with it now, they made their way from Harry's office towards the Grand Staircase. In the entryway to moving stairs, Snape suddenly paused. Harry squeaked in surprise as he was dragged forward into the encompassing strength of the Potions Master's arms. He blushed as thin lips delivered a light peck to his own lips.

"What-?" Harry asked uncertainly.

Snape smirked and glanced upwards, above their heads. Harry followed his gaze and saw that someone, probably a playful student or the insane Headmaster, had put mistletoe in the archway of the door. He peered out over the Grand Staircase, and noted that the other doors he could see also had mistletoe. He looked back at his companion, who had yet to release him, and smiled sheepishly.

"I suppose it _is_ customary," Harry murmured. "Even though it's probably full of nettles."

Snape gave a curt nod, still smirking. "Indeed."

Though neither could have said who moved first, the distance between them vanished, and their lips met again in a much less innocent kiss.

 _...Everywhere_


End file.
